Chair



A. MAUSER Sept. 21,1954

Filed sept. 19. 1949- nya i INVENToR. 'HLfu H 0155K. "Z

A. MAUSER sept. 21, 1954 cHAIR l Filed sept. 19. 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 55 fig. 7

l l0 g. -486 WEA/Tall n. Niv n s n [,P. 4,7,

Sept 2l, 1954 A. MA'usER 2,689,599

v ACHAIR Filed Sept. 19, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. a

' NVENTR.'

Patented Sept. 21,` 1954 CHAIR Alfons Mauser, KolnMarienburg, Germany, assignor to Mauser K.G., Koln-Ehrenfeld, Germ'ailly Application September 19, 1949, Serial N o. 116,456

Claims priority, application France September 21, 1948 28 Claims.

This invention relates to reclining articles of furniture, and more particularly to chairs with a rotatable and 'tiltable seat,` such as office chairs.

An object of the present invention is to provide a tiltable oice chair or Ithe like, wherein the springs for returning the seat into its sitting position are invisibly arranged.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a tiltable ollice chair or the like, wherein the returning springs may be readily adjusted.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a tiltable oflice chair or the like which is of simple construction and may be readily manufactured at low costs.

A further lobject of the present invention is t provide a tiltable and rotatable oice chair which has a pleasing appearance.

Another object of the present invention is to improve on the construction of tiltable ofce chairs or the like as now ordinarily made.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an ofce chair according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is -a sectional View of the chai'rrshown in Fig. 1, wherein, however, the seat is in a reclined position,

Fig. 3 is `a fragmentary sectional view of a detail of the chair shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. l,

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a detail of the chair shown in Fig. 1, partly in section,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment of a chair according to the invention,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the chair shown in Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a further embodiment of a chair according to the invention,

Fig. 9 Iis a fragmentary sectional view of a further embodiment of a chair according to the invention,

Fig. 10 is a sectional View taken on line Ill-I0 of Fig. 9,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment of a chair according to the invention, and

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary rear elevational View of the chair shown in Fig. 1l.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the seat-back rest structurel is mounted on a hollow body or housing 2 forming a part of a pedestal including said housing 2 and legs 3 secured Ito the latter for carrying same. Casters of any suitable type are arranged on said legs 3. The frame of the seatback-rest structure I as well as the legs 3 of the pedestal 2, 3 Iare made of tubular material in the em'bodiment shown in the drawings.

The upper open end of the housing 2 is closed by a thrust-ball-bearing 'I comprising a stationary member and a rotatable member 62. According to Fig. 3 illustrating said arrangement more in detail the stationary member 60 is secured to the housing 2 by screws 6I (only one being shown). A ring 63 having a ii'ange 65 is secured to a projecting flange of the stationary member 60 Iby screws Ii'I (only one being shown). The flange 65 of the ring 63 overlapping the rim of the rotatable member 62 prevents an undesired separation of the members 60 and 62 in vertic-al direction. As shown in Figs. l, 2 and 4, the rotatable member 62 carries two bearings 8. A rod 9 secured vto lugs 64 attached to 'the frame of the seat-back-rest structure I is rotatable in said bearings 8 about a substantially horizontal axis. Thus, the 'seat-back-rest structure I is tiltably mounted on the thrust-bearing I at the top of the housing 2.

The rotatable member 62 of the thrust-bearing 'I has an aperture 66 in its center and the stationary lmember `60 of said thrust bearing has an aperture 68 in its center. A lever 5 rigidly con-` nected with said rod 9 extends downwardly through the passage 66, 68 of the thrust-bearing 7 into lthe housing 2. One end of a tension spring 4 arranged within said housing 2 is connected to the free end of said lever 5, the other end of said tension spring 4 is connected with an anchoring hook 'I0' carried by the threaded spindle 'I2 of an adjusting device E mounted in the lower portion of the housing 2. The tension of the spring 4 may be readily adjusted by a longitudinal displacement of the hook 'III by means o-f the elements of theV adjusting device 6. As -best shown in' Fig. 5, la pin 14 secured to the anchoring hook I0 is in engagement with an annular recess I0 of the spindle l2, so that the hook 'I'Il is rotatable relative to 'the spindle 12 of the adjusting device 6 and, consequently, the seat I may be rotated' about the substantially vertical longitudinal axis of the housing 2 without `twisting the spring Il.

The sitting position of the seat I is limited by an abutment of the lever 5 against the vertical surface I2 of the aperture 66 of the rotatable member 62 of the thrust-bearing 1; the extreme reclined position of the seat I is limited by an 3 abutment of the lever 5 against the inclined surface 16 of said 'aperture 66. The tapering surface 13 of the aperture 68 of the stationary member 60 of the thrust-bearing 1 may be in lalignment with the inclined surface 16 of the aperture 66 of the rotatable member 02 as shown in the drawings.

Intermediate reclined positions may be provided by the adjustable limiting stop I 1 mounted on the rotatable member 62 for `abutting cooperation with the lever 5.

rIhe operation of Ithe chair shown in Figs. 1-5 is as follows:

Fig. 1 illustrates the chair in the sitting position. When the seat-back-rest structure 1 is tilted by means of the pivot 9 from said sitting position into the extreme reclined position shown in Fig. 2, the spring 4 yieldingly opposes to such a tilting movement of the seat-back-rest str-ucture. A return movement of the seat-back-rest structure into its normal sitting position is assisted by said spring 4. The action of the latter can be adjusted by the adjusting device 6 as desired by the user of the chair.

irrespective whether the seat of the chair is in the sitting position shown in Fig. 1 or in any more or less tilted position, the seat carried by the thrust-bearing 1 may be rotated relative to the housing 2 about the vertical longitudinal axis Iof the latter into `any desired position. The seat remains always in the same level during such a rota-tion.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the housing 102 is rotatably mounted on the supporting pedestal 1 16 by means of a thrustball-bearing 101, the member 160 of which is connected with said pedestal 116 and *the member 102 of which is connected with the housing 2. Means of the `type shown in Fig. 3 may be arranged for preventing a vertical separation of the members 110 and 162. The housing 102 is closed at the top by a member 118 having an aperture 160. The seat 101 is -tiltably mounted on said member 118 at 109 at a point spaced from the vertical longitudinal axis of the housing 102. For this purpose ya pair of lugs 164 mounted on the frame oi the seat 101 are secured to the rod 109 journalled in bearings 108 attached to the member 116. A link 105 swingably mounted on the seat 1 at 114 extends through the laperture 160 into the housing 102.

A structure including rods 11S and a yplate I 19 is connected with the lower end of the link 105. A plate 121 having bores slidably engaged with said rods 118 is connected to the upper end of a rod 120, the lower end ci which is connected with an `anchoring hook 110 carried by a spindle 112 of an adjusting device 106 arranged in the lower portion of the housing 102. A compression spring |11 larranged within the housing 102 Iand interposed between the plates 119 and 121 tends to urge the seat 1 into its sitting position limited by an abutment of a stop 182 arranged on the link 105 against the member 110. The tension of said spring 1 11 yieldingly opposing a tilting movement of the seat 101 may be adjusted by the adjusting device 106.

The inclined position of the seat 101 may be limited by adjustable stops 111 mounted on projections 113 of the bearings 108 carried by the member |18 closing the rotatable housing 102.

The seat may be rotated together with the housing 102 relative to the pedestal l 16 irrespective of its tilting position. Such a rotation has 4 no inuence 4on the spring 1 11, as the housing 102 is rotated together with the `seat 101.

The thrust-bearing 101 is not under the action of the spring 1 11, so that its 4dimensions must be calcul-ated only for the load to be expected by a person resting on the chair.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 8,

Y again the housing 202 closed -by a member 216 having an aperture 280 is rotatably mounted on the pedestal 216 by means of a thrust-bearing 201. The members 260 and 262 of said bearing 201 may be prevented from vertical separation by suitable means for example of :the type shown in Fig. 3. A rod 209 connected with the frame of the seat-back-rest structure 201 by lugs 2611 is rotatably mounted in bearings 200 carried 'by the member 218. Thus, the seat 201 may be tilted on the housing 202 and may be rotated together with the housing.

A lever 222 rigidly connected with the rod 209 extends through the passage 260 of the member 218 into the housing 202. The free end of said lever 222 is in abutting engagement with one arm of a double-armed lever 223 swingably mounted in the housing 202 at 232 at a point substantially in the longitudinal axis of the housing. The other arm of said lever 223 is connected with a rod 224 carrying a holding member 221. A pair of endless bands 226 of rubber or other resilient material is looped around said holding member 221 and another holding member 284 carrying a rod 285 engaged with an anchoring hook 230 carried by an adjusting device 206. Said adjusting device cornprises a member 23| having a spherical portion arranged for loose and movable engagement with a spherical recess 228 of a member 225 loosely engaged with gripping means 229 secured to the housing 202. The member 231 of the adjusting device is held in engagement with the member 225 and the latter is held in engagement with the gripping means 220 by the action of the rubber bands 226. The opposing action of said rubber bands to a tilting movement of the seat 201 is stepped up by the doublearmed lever 223. The arrangement of the engaged spherical portions of the members 225 and 231 permits the adjusting device 200 to follow the change in the position of the biasing mechanism 224, 221, l226, 284, 265 caused by a rotation of the lever 223 about its pivot 232. The opposing action of said biasing mechanism may be adjusted by the adjusting device `21.16 by turning a setting knob 286 thereof screwed on the threaded end of the hook 230 and engaged with the lower surface of the member 23|.

If desired, the stepping up lever 226 could be replaced by another suitable stepping up mechanism.

The sitting position of the seat 201 is limited by an abutment of the lever 222 against the straight edge of the aperture 280 of the member 218. The reclined or tilted position of the seat 1 is limited by an adjustable stop 233 mounted on the housing 202 for abutting cooperation with said lever 222.

The operation of the chair shown in Fig. 8 is as follows: When the seat 201 is tilted, the lever 222 rigidly connected with the rod 209 actuates the double-armed lever 223 for a swinging movement about its pivot 232. Owing to the stepping up characteristic of said lever 223, the rubber bands 226 are stretched to a larger degree than they would be stretched if they were directly connected to the lever 222, so that the opposing action of said rubber bands 226 becomes'more effective. The seat 20| may be rotated irrespective of the fact Whether the seat is in the sitting position or in a tilted position.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 and l0 the housing 402 open at its top is rotatably mounted on the pedestal 4|6 by means of the thrust-bearing 4|5, the members 460 and 462 which may be prevented from vertical separation by suitable means for example of the type shown in Fig. 3. A member 440 secured to a cross-bar 488 attached to the frame of the seat 40| extends into the housing 402. Said member 440 having a cam-portion 44| is swingably mounted on a shaft 438 carried by the housing 402. The end of the cam-portion 44| passes through a slot 490 of the housing 402 when the elements are in the position shown in Fig. 9.

The sitting position of the seat 40| tiltable about the pivot 438 is limited by an abutment of the end of the cam-portion 44| against the upper end of the slot 490; the extreme reclined position of the seat 40| is limited by an abutment of the nose 430 of the member 440 against a flange attached to the upper end of the housing 402.

The cam-portion 44| rigidly connected with the tiltable seat 40| is arranged for slidable engagement with the spherical surface of a member 442 slidably arranged in the housing 402. Said member 442 is under the action of a spring 443 interposed between said member 442 and the plate 444 of an adjusting device 406 arranged on a wall 402 secured to the housing 402. Theupper end of the spring 443 is engaged with a cap arranged in the member 442; the lower end of said spring 443 is sur- ,A

rounded by a sleeve carried bythe plate 444. The upperl end of the spindle ofthe adjusting device 406 threaded into a threaded bore of the Wall 492 bears against the plate 444. Thus, the spring loaded member 442 cooperating with the cam 44| rigidly connected with the seat 40| yieldingly opposes tilting movements of the seat 40|.

The tension of the spring 443 may be adjusted by the adjusting device 406. The spring 443 does not act on the thrust-bearing 4|5, so that the latter is subjected only to the load of the user of the chair.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 10 and i1 again the housing 502 covered by a member 518 is rotatably mounted on the pedestal 5|B by means of a thrust-bearing 50T of the type described above. The lever 505 rigidly connected with the tilting rod 500 of the seatstructure 50| swingably mounted in the bearings 508 attached to the member 518 extends into the housing 502 wherein it is in engagement with a lug 534 arranged on a member 536 rotatably arranged on a shaft 598 secured to the housing 502. A torsion spring 545 having one of its ends secured to said shaft l59|! and having its other end secured to said member 530 tends to hold the lug 534 into engagement with the lever 505. The spring 545 made, for example, of `steel or rubber yieldingly opposes` tilting movements of the seat 50|.

The tilted position of the seat 50| may be limited by an adjustable stop Slt mounted on the housing 502 for cooperation with the lug 584 of the spring-loaded member 506;

The various embodiments of the invention described above show that simple spring devices and housings for enclosing and carrying same may be arranged in many different ways without deviating from the principle of invention. A chair according to the invention may be made of elements light in Weight; the chair is comfortable and may be conveniently manipulated. The construction of the chair permits a noiseless rotation and/or tilting of the seat. The chair, also, has a neat appearance.

I have described preferred embodiments of my invention, but it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various omissions or changes in shape, proportion and arrangement of parts, as well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those, herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A chair comprising: a stationary base-assembly, a rotatable seat-assembly including connecting means and a seat-structure tiltably joined to said connecting means, a thrust-bearing having a stationary member and a rotatable member with annular bearing surfaces, the stationary member of said thrust-bearing being secured to said stationary base-assembly, the rotatable member of said thrust-bearing being in rigid connection with said connecting means of the rotatable seat-assembly, a housing included in one of said two assemblies, and biasing' means arranged within said housing, said biasing means being connected to the tiltable seat-structure of said seat-assembly for yieldingly opposing' a tilting movement thereof.

2. In a chair as claimed in claim l, limiting means arranged for abutting cooperation with said tiltable seat-structure so as to limit the extreme reclined position thereof.

3. In a chair as claimed in claim 1, said biasing means having adjusting means associated therewith for adjusting the opposing action thereof.

4. A chair comprising: a base-assembly, a seatassembly including connecting means and a seatstructure tiltably joined to said connecting means, a thrust-bearing having a stationary member and a rotatable member with annular bearing surfaces, the stationary member of said thrust-bearing being secured to said stationary base-assembly, the rotatable member of said thrust-bearing being in rigid connection with said connecting means of the rotatable seatassembly, a housing included in one of said two assemblies, a passage in the upper portion of said housing, an element rigidly connected with said seat-structure, said element extending through said passage into said housing, and biasing means arranged within said housing, said biasing means being engaged with said element for yieldingly opposing a tilting movement of said seat-structure.

5. A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rigidly connected with said supporting means, a thrust-bearing having a stationary member and a rotatable member with annular bearing surfaces, the stationary member of said thrust-bearing being secured to said housing, a seat tiltably mounted` on the rotatable member of said thrust-bearing, and biasing means arranged Within said housing, said biasing means` being connected to said seat for yieldingly opposing a tilting movement thereof.

6. A chair comprising: supporting means, a

housing rigidly connected with said supporting means, a thrust-bearing having a stationary member and a rotatable member, the stationary member of said thrust-bearing being secured to said housing, a seat tiltably mounted on the rotatable member of said thrust-bearing, and biasing means arranged within said housing, said biasing means being connected to said seat for yieldingly opposing a tilting movement thereof.

7. In a chair as claimed in claim 6, said seat and means rigid therewith, forming a tiltable seat-structure, limiting means arranged for abutting cooperation with said tiltable [seatstructure so as to limit the extreme reclined position thereof.

8. In a chair as claimed in claim 6, said biasing means having adjusting means associated therewith for adjusting the biasing action thereof.

9. A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rigidly connected with said supporting means, a thrust-bearing having a stationary member and a rotatable member, the stationary member of said thrust-bearing being secured to said housing, a seat tiltably mounted on the rotatable member of said thrust-bearing, a passage in said thrust-bearing, an element rigidly connected with said seat, said element extending through said passage of the thrust-bearing into said housing, and biasing means arranged Within said housing, said biasing means being connected to said element for yieldingly opposing a tilting movement of said seat.

10. In a chair as claimed in claim 9, said housing having an open upper end, and said thrustbearing covering said open end of said housing.

11. In a chair as claimed in claim 9, limiting means on said thrust-bearing for cooperation with said element so as to limit the extreme tilted position of said seat.

12. In a chair as claimed in claim 9, an adjustable limiting device connected to the rotatable member of the thrust-bearing and arranged for cooperation with said element so as to limit a reclined position of said seat.

13. A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rigidly connected with said supporting means, a thrust-bearing having a stationary member and a rotatable member, the stationary member of said thrust-bearing being secured to said housing, a seat tiltably mounted on the rotatable member of said thrust-bearing, a passage in said thrust-bearing, an element rigidly connected with said seat, said element extending through said passage of the thrust bearing into said housing, and resilient means arranged within said housing, said resilient means being connected to said housing and to said element for yieldingly opposing a tilting movement of said seat.

14. In a chair as claimed in claim 13, said resilient means including a tension spring, one end of said tension spring being connected to said housing, the other end of said tension spring being connected to said element.

15. In a chair as claimed in claim 13, carrying means arranged at and rigid with the lower portion of said housing, an anchoring element rotatably mounted on said carrying means and extending into said housing, and said resilient means including a tension spring, one end of said tension spring being connected to said anchoring element, the other end of said tension spring being connected to said element.

16. In a chair as claimed in claim 13, carrying means arranged at and rigid with the lower portion of said housing, an adjusting device mounted on said carrying means, an anchoring element rotatable on said adjusting device, and said resilient means including a. tension spring, one end of said tension spring being connected to said anchoring element, the other end of said tension spring being connected to said element.

17. A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rotatably connected with said supporting means for rotation about a vertical axis, a seat tiltably joined to said housing, and biasing means arranged within said housing for acting on said seat so as to yieldingly oppose a tilting movement thereof.

18. In a chair as claimed in claim 17, said rotatable connection comprising a thrust-bearing having a stationary member and a rotatable member, the stationary member being connected to said supporting means, and the rotatable member being connected to said housing.

19. In a chair as claimed in claim 17, limiting means arranged on'said housing for cooperation with said seat so as to limit an extreme position thereof.

20. In a chair as claimed in claim 17, said biasing means having adjusting means associated therewith for adjusting the opposing action thereof.

21. A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rotatably connected with said supporting means for rotation about a vertical axis, said housing having an aperture at its top, a seat tiltably mounted on said housing, an element connected with said seat, said element extending through said aperture into said housing, and resilient means arranged within said housing, said resilient means acting on said element for yieldingly opposing a tilting movement of the seat.

22. In a chair as claimed in claim 21, the tiltable connection between the seat and the housing being at a distance from the axis of rotation of the housing, said element being pivotally connected with said seat, and a spring connected to said housing and said element.

23.A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rotatably connected with said supporting means for rotation about a vertical axis, said housing having an aperture at its top, a seat tiltably mounted on said housing, an element rigidly connected with said seat, said element extending through said aperture into said housing, stepping up means movably mounted in said housing and engaged with said element, a spring, and an anchoring element movably arranged in said housing, one end of said spring being connected to said stepping up means, and the other end of said spring being connected to said anchoring element.

24. In a chair as claimed in claim 23, a member having a spherical recess arranged in said housing, and said anchoring element having a spherical portion engaging said spherical recess.

25. A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rotatably connected with said supporting means for rotation about a Vertical axis, said housing having an aperture at its top, a seat tiltably mounted on said housing, a cam rigidly connected with said seat, said cam extending into said housing, a member movable in said housing, engaging means mounted in said housing, and a spring in said housing engaged with said engaging means and said member for urging the latter into engagement with said cam.

26. In a chair as claimed in claim 25, said member having a curved surface for cooperation with said cam, and said engaging means including an adjusting device associated with said spring for adjusting the action thereof.

27. A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rotatably connected with said supporting means for rotation about a vertical axis, said housing having an aperture at its top, a seat tiltably mounted on said housing, an element rigidly connected with said seat, said element extending through said aperture into said housing, and a spring loaded member swingably arranged in said housing for cooperation with said element so as to yieldingly oppose tilting movements of the seat.

28. A chair comprising: supporting means, a housing rotatably connected with said supporting means for rotation about a vertical axis, said housing having an aperture at its top, a seat tiltably mounted on said housing, an element rigidly connected with said seat, said element extending through said aperture into said housing, a member movably arranged in said housing for cooperation with said element said member being in the path of said element upon a tilting movement of said seat, and a torsion spring connected to said housing and said member for yieldingly opposing a tilting movement of said seat upon an engagement of said element with said member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,194,551 Schlosser Aug. 15, 1916 1,711,085 DArcy Apr. 30, 1929 2,363,935 Boerner Nolv. 28, 1944 2,498,106 Elleman Feb. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 18,106 Switzerland Apr. 26, 1899 

